Holiday Pet Hazards

It seems that every year we hear about seasonal dangers that could affect our pets.  At the risk of being redundant, I will review them again for you.  A refresher is always nice to have and some “dangers” are more serious than others.  That being said, if your pet is acting unusual, it is best to get the advice of your veterinarian because it is always better to be safe than sorry.

My dog nearly bloated…

Many dog owners and some non-dog owners know what bloat is.  The movie “Marley and Me” brought the issue to the surface for a while, though now many who saw the film still don’t know how that dog died.  I never saw the movie, but I do know about bloat and I feel it nearly unforgivable to happen to a vet’s dog.  Here is what happened: my dog Emma is a lab/springer mix.  She usually gets a burst of energy in the evening after I get home from work.  On this particular day, she had just finished eating her dinner, then goaded me into throwing her Frisbee for her.  We went into the back yard and I tossed the Frisbee.  The first chase and catch was mild, the second throw produced a nice chase and she nearly caught that one, the third throw included a high catch with a tail flip – it was beautiful.  The fourth throw never happened.  She came back and dropped the Frisbee, was panting as expected, but didn’t want to go again.  She paced a bit, then ran off to go pee.  After that, she returned to the porch, but didn’t want to play.  Shortly after, she vomited her dinner and a large amount of white foam.  She then vomited again and I saw her gums – they looked pale.  I lifted her lip and her gums were white.  Her tongue was pale blue.  No pink in the mouth anywhere.  I freaked.  She then proceeded to do all the usual things, tried to vomit repeatedly, only foam came up.  She couldn’t lay down comfortably – she kept changing positions.  She turned and looked at her sides where it hurt, and she continuously stretched her torso in an attempt to get some relief.  I didn’t end up having to take her to the emergency hospital that night.  I massaged her belly and watched for the next signs – fast heart rate and distention of the abdomen.  That didn’t happen.  After about 20 minutes her pain seemed relieved and we were safe again.  
What happened?  When a dog bloats, the stomach turns over itself.  The other name for this condition is Gastric (stomach) Dilatation (distention) and Volvulus (twisting) - GDV.  It is more common in “deep chested” dogs, think Boxer and Doberman.  After the stomach has twisted, the outflow tract is obstructed and the stomach begins to fill up with gas.  The end result is that the dog goes into shock, the stomach fills up so much gas that sections of it loose blood flow and begin to die.  The dog can easily die if this emergency is not addressed immediately.  Often these dogs need to be taken to emergency surgery to have the stomach emptied and set back into proper position.  Their recovery from surgery is also rough and requires constant supervision.  I dodged a bullet that day, but thought you all should know about this and what to look for.  I saw it happen in my own baby first-hand.  My advice to you, do not wait to go to the emergency hospital if you see these signs.  The sooner the dog receives medical attention, the better the potential outcome.

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Back Pain In Dogs

I wanted to share some information with you about Intervertebral Disk Disease in dogs.  The disease can occur in cats, but it is more common in dogs.  I recently attended a lecture on this topic and wanted to summarize some key points for you.  First, this disease is most common in dog breeds that have long backs.  Namely, Daschshunds but also Beagles, Corgis, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, and others.  These breeds have a genetic predisposition to developing disk herniation, but it can also occur after trauma such as a car accident.  Disk herniation is literally movement of the intervertebral disk into the space normally occupied by the spinal cord.  The disk normally serves as a  cushion between the vertebrae, but it can move upwards and impinge on the spinal cord with this disease.  When the disk herniates in the mid to lower back it can cause paralysis and/or the inability to properly urinate and defecate.  If the disk herniates in the neck, it can cause neck pain, lameness in a front leg, or even paralysis of all four limbs.  The herniation can occur suddenly, or can happen slowly over a long period of time.  Definitive diagnosis frequently requires specialized imaging.

The key point to remember is that if your dog is experiencing neck or back pain, this can be a significant medical problem.  Furthermore, if your pet is losing the ability to move his or her legs or is paralyzed, this is a medical emergency.  This condition is one of the few that I have experienced dogs' vocalizing in pain.  Besides vocalization, dogs will demonstrate pain when certain spots on the back or neck are touched, they sometimes cannot feel sensations such as pinching of the toes, and they can experience wobbling of the limbs, crossing the feet, or the inability to stand.  With paralysis comes the question of whether or not to move forward with back surgery.  This can be an expensive proposition and the cost alone is frequently the determining factor in the pet's treatment.  If you are worried about this disease or suspect that your dog may be predisposed, please consider purchasing a pet insurance policy.  I have met many beloved family pets who's treatment decision would have been different if an insurance policy had been in place.  Keep in mind that your vet will work with any pet insurance company you choose.  Please ask your vet if you would like to learn more.

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Dogs riding in the bed of the truck

Yesterday I saw a young dog riding in the back of a pickup truck.  Wow.  I just don't get it.  Are dogs disposable?  A dog has no awareness of how fast they are going or how high they are.  They do not have any way of understanding the level of danger of any given situation.  No one is sitting back there with the dog in an attempt to control their movement (it's against the law because it's too dangerous).  Even if they were, no training is foolproof.  Imagine the dog sees a bunny rabbit on the side of the road, or they are peering over the side with their front feet up when you drive over a big bump in the road, or they just decide they want out...

No, having them tied back there is not a solution.  Now we add hanging to the list of dangers.

If you travel with your dogs in this fashion or you know someone who does, please consider these things.  It takes only one fall out of the vehicle to end the dog's life.  Every time you travel this way, there is a 50/50 chance your dog will be in the back of the truck when you arrive at your destination.  Please help put an end to this bad habit through thoughtful consideration and discussion of the consequences. 

National Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week is March 17-23.  In an effort to raise awareness of common household items that can poison your pets, I have decided to share some of the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) guidelines.

*Keep all drugs out of your pets' reach in closed cabinets. Painkillers, cold medicines, antidepressants, vitamins and diet pills can be lethal to animals, even in small doses.

*Never give your pets medication unless you are directed to do so by a veterinarian. Human medicine is not for pets.

*Always read the label before dispensing medication. Some flea products for dogs can be deadly if given to cats. 

Thousands of cats and dogs needlessly suffer and many die each year by accidental ingestion of household poisons, including popular houseplants and common foods.

"Most pet owners simply do not know that small amounts of chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts and bread dough can be dangerous," comments Dr. Steve Hansen, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. "Many cats are poisoned in the spring from plants including daffodils and lilies. A cat that eats an Easter lily will die unless it receives prompt medical attention," says Hansen. The ASPCA advises cat owners to pay special attention to the plants in their homes, since cats have the ability to jump onto tabletops and windowsills. Other common houseplants such as philodendron, dieffenbachia, cyclamen, corn stalk plants, sago palms and bird of paradise all contain toxins and are dangerous if ingested by animals.

The hotline number is 1-888-4-ANI-HELP and the website is http://www.aspca.org/apcc.

Holiday dangers for your dog

We are always happy when it is time to get the Christmas tree set up and start our holiday baking.  However these two activities can potentially be harmful to your dogs and there are some things to think about while preparing for these activities.

The Christmas tree should be well-secured.  It can easily be toppled by a happy puppy and could hurt the dog (or person) who may be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time!  Also remember to watch your dog for the first few days after your tree is up to be sure they are not showing interest in eating the tree or its decorations!  Pine needles can irritate the throat if the dog eats them and lead to subsequent problems.  Christmas ornaments – especially home-made ones that are baked or made from dried pasta - are notorious for getting eaten!   Put them high on the tree or keep them off the tree until your puppy grows up and has been trained to leave the tree and its decorations alone!

Most of us know that chocolate is also harmful to dogs.  The primary substance of concern is called theobromine and it is toxic to dogs in high quantities.  High quantities are prevalent in baker’s chocolate and dark chocolate.  It is present to a lesser degree in milk and white chocolate.  The dog most frequently begins to have nausea that leads to vomiting.  Keep in mind that our large breed dogs can easily access items left on coffee tables and even counter-tops, so be aware of where you set down that box you have been snacking on!

Have a safe and happy holiday!